A pair of Qing Dynasty statues, which have been housed at the Gansong Museum for 87 years, are set to return to their homeland, China. This marks the first tangible outcome of a cultural heritage donation agreement signed during a Korea-China summit, and it is expected to serve as a new milestone in cultural exchange between the two countries.
On July 23, the National Museum of Korea and Gansong Museum held a donation ceremony at the Gansong Museum in Seoul, where they finalized the transfer of ownership and signed a 'Artifact Transfer Confirmation' document. This initiates the process for transporting the statues back to China.
The event was attended by Yoo Hong-jun, director of the National Museum of Korea, Jeon In-geon, director of Gansong Museum, and over 50 officials from both countries, including Lao Quan, director of the Chinese National Cultural Heritage Administration, and Dai Bing, the Chinese ambassador to South Korea.
This donation is a follow-up to the agreement made in January during the Korea-China summit at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where the National Museum of Korea and the Chinese National Cultural Heritage Administration signed the donation agreement. With the signing of the 'Artifact Transfer Confirmation,' the transportation of the artifacts will proceed.
The statues being donated were acquired by the late Gansong Jeon Hyung-pil in the 1930s at a Japanese auction and have been part of the Gansong Museum since the establishment of the Bohwa-gak in 1938. The National Museum of Korea has been entrusted with all aspects of the donation, including appraisal support and the signing of the donation agreement.
Yoo Hong-jun expressed, "It is meaningful for the National Museum of Korea to establish a model for cultural communication and solidarity between Korea and China, in line with the legacy of Gansong, who protected the nation through culture. I believe this donation ceremony will serve as a new driving force for enriching cultural exchanges between the two countries."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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